


Movie Night

by orphan_account



Series: Movie Night [1]
Category: Adventure Time
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-06
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-12 05:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5653648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Gumball's movie night is in ruins when Fionna calls sick and unable to attend. However, Gumball comes up with an idea to save the night, he just needs Marshall's help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Short chapters so yay, easy reading! Enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly longer, but oh well

"Aw, Glob. I'm sorry PB, but I can't."

Prince Gumball sighed in despair. Three months he had been planning this night. Three months of cleaning and preparing to construct the ultimate movie night! But Fionna had to go and catch a cold, and Cake – ever the hypochondriac – had her locked under 'flu patrol'. A pleading phone call was the closest he could get to the mini warrior.

"Are you sure you can't sneak out?" He pleaded.

"Nu uh, your highness. Don't think I can't hear you," Cake intervened. "This girl ain't going nowhere until she's as strong and lively as Glob itself."

"I suppose I can make... other arrangements. Well, get better soon then, Fionna." Hanging up the phone before he received a reply, Gumball flopped back onto his bed in the least princely manner possible. "Well, Glob. There goes my movie night." He sighed once more as he envisioned his perfect night melting into a sugary wad of rubbish. Gumball allowed himself to wallow in pity before finally drawing himself from his bed. He glanced around his chambers, eyeing the precariously balanced stack of movies. He could request a movie for each person in the kingdom if he so wished, but what was the point if he didn't have Fionna there to watch them with? She made even the scary movies tolerable, unlike a certain vampire king who appeared to enjoy scaring the gum out of him. "Wait a minute" He jumped onto his feet as he realised the brilliance of his previous statement. "I _could_ invite the entire kingdom! We can have the most lumping awesome sleepover; the whole of Aaa will be talking about it!" He stared in pride at his stack of DVDs, internally high-fiving himself for the excellence of his ideas.

At the top of the pile was Cinnamon Bun's favourite film: 'Twilight'. Although CB had a rather _clichéd_ taste in movies, Gumball must say that he did find a certain vampire in the film to be quite _*ahem*_ charming. A deep red diffused across his cheeks as he remembered another vampire that was supposed to be attending that night. “Oh man, I better tell Marshall about the change of plans.” With a glance in the mirror, he smoothed his hair and glared in distaste at the blush that remained on his face before setting off to Marshall's.


	2. 2

_Let's go in the garden, you'll find something waiting.._

The gentle rhythm drifted through the cave, leading Gumball to Marshall's home.

_Right there where you left it, laying upside down..._

Gumball stopped at Marshall's porch, eyes closing as the song washed over him. The vampire's house was modest, yet quaint. Nothing that would be expected of the King of Vampires _and_ heir of the Nightosphere. The song drifted to the end but the Prince remained on the doorstep.

Opening his eyes, his reflection in the door's small windows revealed the red in his cheeks had returned. Glob damn that man and his beautiful voice. He took a moment to recollect himself before knocking the door.

The rhythm Marshall was strumming came to a halt at the knocking. A glance out the window revealed only a head of bubblegum hair, and there was only one person in the Candy Kingdom brave enough to rock that style with confidence. “Come on in,” he shouted, loud enough for Bubba to hear.

Bubba entered the small house, making sure to wipe his shoes on the non-existent door mat. “Hello, Marshall,” Bubba greeted cheerfully. The vampire replied with a nod of his head before continuing to strum a familiar pattern. Gumball clasped his hands, awkwardly glancing around before taking a seat on the small, red sofa. The sofa was very cosy, being a small two-seater. If the vampire himself were to take a seat, the two would have been pressed together rather closely... _Oh my._ Gumball's cheeks blazed bright red again as he watched Marshall's carefree strumming. _If I continue to blush like this, I'll have enough red for Marshall to feast on_. The thought of the vampire's fangs sinking into him and feeding from his pink skin only worsened the situation, causing him to shift as he felt his lower body heat alongside his thoughts.

“So, are you gonna tell me why you're here or are you just gonna blush some more?” Marshall winked playfully, never taking his eyes off Bubba as he continued to play his bass. Gumball huffed before crossing his arms in embarrassment.

“Well, if you're going to be rude about it...”

“Aww, come on Bubs. I was just playing.” The vampire leant his bass against the arm of the sofa, before allowing gravity to reclaim his form. With a supernatural elegance, he descended onto the sofa, landing besides Gumball. He sat with a casual grace, his arm balanced on his right knee, and his other leg draping lazily to the floor. The vampire's leg was connected to Gumball's side, his shin fully pressed against the prince's thigh. Marshall leaned back into the arm of the sofa, observing the young prince. This position was comfortable for himself, it being his usual position when deciding to actually sit and not hover, but Bubba looked somewhat uncomfortable with their close proximity.

Gumball's eyes darted around the room, but always returning his gaze to the vampire's form, and – more specifically – the area where they were in contact. Marshall sighed at the prince's awkwardness, so much for being best friends. He couldn't even touch him without the prince acting strange. He lifted himself from the sofa, placing himself in front of Gumball's wandering gaze. “So?..”

“Ah yes!” Gumball said with a forced cheerfulness. “I'm afraid that Fionna is ill, and so she and Cake will not be attending movie night."

“Aw, sucks. Haven't you been planning for that for like, what, three months?” Bubba blushed at Marshall's accuracy.

“Exactly three months, actually.”

“So, just you and me then?”

Gumball froze. He hadn't thought about that. Had he just played it cool he could have shared the night with Marshall – alone... _No, snap out of it!_ He'd made a plan and now he must stick to it. It was clear, obvious in fact, that he had a thing for a certain Vampire King. Or at least it was to him. It was starting to affect his * _ahem*_ physical abilities. The last time he and CB watched 'Twilight', he'd had to excuse himself for a rather long 'bathroom break'. Thankfully, Marshall was as oblivious as he was handsome: extremely. Realising the length of his pause, Gumball rushed back into the conversation.

“Actually, I came to ask if you could ask the people of the Candy Kingdom to join us. I have duties to attend to, otherwise I'd do it myself, but I have a movie for every citizen and the ballroom has already been converted into a giant pillow fort of sorts. It almost looks like the Blanket Kingdom.” He chuckled at his own joke, before awaiting Marshall's response.

The vampire appeared a little low spirited, but Gumball attributed that to the fact that it was still daytime, and so he must have been tired. Marshall scratched his head as he answered. “Uh, sure. Yeah, I suppose I could.”

“Excellent!” Bubba jumped to his feet in victory. “Well, I must be going now, but please come to the castle whenever you are ready. Tell the candy people the party starts officially at 7pm.” He headed towards the door, rushing to begin his royal duties. “And don't forget your pyjamas!” the prince shouted from across the little garden.

Marshall watched the prince's retreating figure, as it jogged of to the distance. He never seemed to have time to just sit and relax with his friend any more.

“Bye, Gummy.”


	3. 3

Cake wagged a disapproving finger in Marshall’s face. “Nu uh, paste face. You ain't getting nowhere. Fionna is ill, she is in quarantine until every ounce of that cold is gone.” Marshall ignored Cake's threats, and flew out of the protective cat's reach. He spotted the open window to their tree house.

“Hey Fionna!” he winked as he drifted lazily into their home.

“Marshall!” Her voice was rough and low compared to its usual tone, but she still smiled with extreme happiness at his presence. “How'd you get past cake?”

“Duh, I can fly.”

“Oh yeah.” Cake entered the living room, eyeing the vampire.

“Boy, you are more trouble than you're worth. Now get outta here!” In reply, Marshall stuck his out playfully before draping himself across their sofa.

“Cake, I'm a century old and undead. If some thing’s gonna kill me, it's not Fionna's cold.”

“Fine, but I'm not staying while your here.”

Cake left the room, leaving a trail of grumbling comments. Marshall stuck his tongue out at the retreating figure before turning to Fionna. Her usual pale skin was tinted pink with fever and her hat was missing, revealing sweat-slicked hair sprawled at random angles.

“And how is the good little girl?” he winked at her.

“This good little girl's ready to fight. I'm going _crazy_ locked up in here. Cake's like a freaking warden.”

Marshall laughed, Cake was an imposing figure when she needed to be. “Ha, you humans are weak. Every little germ leaves you incapacita-” he ducked as a snot-ridden tissue flew in his direction. “Hey! That's gross.”

“So's your butt,” Fionna retorted. He flew up and pulled an offended face, before wiping a fake tear from his eye.

“Aw, c'mon Fi. You'll hurt my feelings.”

She giggled and threw another tissue. “I'm soooo sorry. It's just my weak human body can't handle _all_ these germs. Oh no, I'm losing control again...” _**Splat!** _

Marshall gaped at Fionna as the tissue slid down his face, slowed by the thick slime that it contained. Fionna held her breath, awaiting his reaction.

“OH. MY. GLOB.” He peeled the tissue from his head, his chest heaving as he hyperventilated. “I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU THISISDISGUSTING! WHYDOIEVENBOTHER! GLOB!

IFREAKINGHATEYOURIGHTNOW!”

Fionna cowered slightly in confusion, both fear and amusement mingling as Marshall's eyes flamed. His speech died off, but he remained panting as his eyes slowly faded back to their obsidian colour.

“Dude?” Fionna whispered, “you okay?” There was a moment's silence.

“Yeah,” he breathed. “Just... _never_ do that again.” He dropped to the floor, all his energy lost in screaming, and just lay in a pile, his head against the floor. “Gross.”

“You can have a shower, if you want?” Fionna suggested apologetically.

“Yeah. I'll.... yeah.” Lacking the energy to fly. He lifted himself from the floor and walked to the bathroom, trying to regulate his breathing. From her seat Fionna could hear the occasional mutter of “Gross,” and “This is globbing disgusting.”

*

Once the water was running, Marshall stripped off his clothes. He wished he could see his reflection for two reasons right now. One: to see how disgusting his snotty face looked and two: so he could admire his body more often. Yes, you could call Marshall vain, but at least he was confident. When you haven't seen your reflection in a century, usually your self-esteem goes down hill. Marshall would not allow this to happen.

Slowly, he stepped under the spray, thankful for the moment alone. As much as he loved Fionna, glob she could be so lumping annoying. It was just like having a younger sister. Scrubbing at the mess on his face, he wondered what would happen if he ever snapped. Could he kill Fionna? Probably, but he didn't really want to. He'd grown attached, so he should really try and keep a lid on things.

His thoughts continued, falling off track to become a wild daydream. He and Bubba were walking through the forest when they found Fionna there, no Cake, just Fionna. She was trying to fight some kind of monster, but it kidnapped Bubba thinking he was a princess. Princess Bubba. He had to smother a snort at the thought of PB in a pink dress and tiara. _What a dweeb_.

The daydream was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Ah, glob. How long have I been in the shower for?” Deciding another ten minutes wouldn't kill him, he stayed under the warm spray and was lulled back into his daydream.

*

“I thought I told you she was ill?” Cake questioned Prince Gumball already knowing the answer.

“Yes, you did. But I have a break from my duties, and so I decided to bring Fionna a sweet treat to cheer her up.” Gumball smiled charmingly, hoping to persuade Cake to let him enter.

“Hmmm..” She eyed the basket in his arms, contemplating breaking her rules. She caught PB's eye, who raised his brow before pulling a small package from the basket.

“Well, I do also have a little something for you...” Cake grabbed at the package, recognising the premium catnip from the colour scheme.

“Ooh, honey you are welcome any time as long as you bring some of this!” She stepped aside to let the prince pass, before retreating to her room to test her treat.

Gumball climbed the steps of the tree house, finding Fionna slumped lazily at the kitchen table. “Why hello, Fionna.” He called, “I hope you don't mind but I bought some treats.” Fionna jumped from her seat, rushing to grab the basket. She thanked him quickly before rummaging through her gift.

“Awww, yes. Peeb, you're the best!” She exclaimed.

“Well, if you insist,” he chuckled, with a dismissive wave of his hand. Spotting a bundle of strawberries in the basket, Fionna picked them up and examined them.

“Sweet, I can give these to Marshall when he finishes up in the bathroom!” Glad to have something to redeem herself, Fionna set the strawberries aside, much to Gumball's confusion.

“Marshall?” He questioned, as he heard the shower running. “What's he doing here? In your shower?”

Fionna's blush was made unnoticeable by her fever, as she explained how he came to check in on her and how she 'accidentally' threw a snotty tissue at his face. Gumball's nose wrinkled at the thought.

“Fionna, you are positively disgusting.”

“I know. Hey, can you go tell Marshall to get the lump out of my shower now? He's gonna use up all the hot water. And besides, I'll have eaten these strawberries by the time he's finished!” She plucked the largest strawberry from the bundle and shoved it into her mouth, turning her back on Gumball before he could turn down her request. She continued to explore the basket, ignoring him, making his only distraction to get Marshall. With a sigh at her uncivilised manner, Gumball headed towards the bathroom.

As he approached, the steam from the shower wrapped around him, carrying Marshall's voice with it. Gumball stopped dead outside the bathroom door. Marshall's voice alone was enough to hinder Bubba's movements but a sudden thought (though not unwelcome) brought him to a complete stop.

On the other side of this door was Marshall. Marshall was brilliantly funny and smart in his unique way, and Marshall was incredibly attractive. Marshall was also completely naked and soaking wet at that moment. Gumball couldn't help but think about that. Marshall could be stood there, hands caressing his body as the water runs down his figure. Past his collarbones and stomach, and down to his... _Oh my._ Gumball froze completely, gripping the door handle. His knuckles had turned a dusty white from the intensity with which he was holding it. His breathing was laboured, and not because of the thickness of the steam. His hand returned to his side as he tried to steady his breathing, he took the moment to thank Glob that he was wearing trousers tight enough to keep everything in place. The sound of running water stopped, but Marshall's singing continued. He heard a creak as Marshall stepped out of the shower. His singing stopped, and he head Marshall's breath hitch. Almost a moan. _Oh glob._ Gumball though. _Think pure thoughts. Think pure thoughts._ He stepped back from the door, leaning against the wall as he tried to clear his mind. He wished that he had said no to Fionna, but at the same time he was overjoyed to have witnessed these sounds and thoughts. How he longed to be back in the privacy of his chambers.

*

Marshall stepped out of the shower, his breath hitching as he met with the cold air. He let out a small moan, as he wrapped the towel around his hips. The little heat that it provided was a relief. It wasn't cold, per se, but it seemed to be when compared to the wet heat of the shower. Once the towel was comfortably wrapped around his hips, with no chance of exposing himself to poor Fionna, he exited the bathroom.

Whistling to himself as he opened the door, he came to a complete halt at the sight of a rather fervent Gumball. His skin was much darker than his usual bubblegum colour, deepened to a light red, and his hair was completely dishevelled as if he had been running his hands through it. Marshall was used to the dignified, well composed Gumball. To see him like this was, well... rather tantalising. The vampire realised he was staring, but thankfully Bubba had his eyes closed and so hadn't noticed him. He quickly re-tightened his towel, before plastering on his customary teasing smile.

“Heya, Bubba,” Marshall addressed him, causing the other to squeak in shock.

“Oh, hey Marshall. I, uh, just...” He stuttered like a fool, while Marshall continued to watch him, a smirk growing on his face.

“You okay there?” He asked, reaching over to place his palm on Gumball's forehead. “You're burning up.” Marshall stood closer, to get a better look at his friend, concern replacing his mischief.

Gumball squeaked again, clearing his throat to try and cover up the sound. “Yes, yes, I'm fine. I just, uh, need the toilet. Bye!” He rushed into the bathroom before slamming the door shut behind him. _Holy Glob_ . Marshall had been so close to him. His legs gave way as he collapsed against the bathroom door, forcing it shut. Marshall's figure had towered over his own, his one arm braced against the wall, trapping him. His hand had seemed so warm and soft against his forehead, and his lips so close to his own... _Oh Glob, snap out of it. You are at Fionna's house, this is not the appropriate place to become excited._ He looked down at his situation, before realising there was only one way to resolve it. Looking at his friend's bathroom apologetically, Gumball whispered a quite sorry, before reaching down and unzipping his trousers.


	4. 4

Marshall walked into the living room again, deciding against flying whilst wearing only a towel.

“Glob, Marshall. Put some clothes on!” Fionna spat, mouth filled with pink treats.

“Oh, you love it,” he winked, crocking his arm behind his head in an attempted model pose.

“No, I really don't,” she finished her treat before remembering the strawberries she had laid aside. “PB brought these for me, but consider it your apology.” She threw the box to Marshall before grabbing herself another pink frosted cupcake.

“Nice. What did you do to the twerp anyway? He looked a mess,” he asked, sinking his fang into the tip of the strawberry. Fionna made a sound resembling 'huh', so Marshall continued to explain. “Y'know, his hair was everywhere, and he looked like he'd been sexually accosted. I thought you were over him?” He helped himself to another strawberry, happy with his ability to show concern for one friend whilst teasing another.

“What the glob, man? I'm _waaay_ over PB. He was just fine when he went to get you. Must have been the steam going to his head from all of _my_ hot water that _you_ used!” She spat at him, flecks of cake shooting from her mouth.

“Wow, so sensitive. I've already had your bodily fluids on me today, and I don't want any more. Stop. Spitting,” he glared at her as she stuck her tongue out, exposing a partially chewed mush of cake. “This is why you're one of the boys. You, my friend, are disgusting.”

“Aww, thanks man!” She cheered, with a friendly punch to his side.

“No problem. Now, where are my clothes? I need to go get ready for tonight.”

“They're where ever you left them, you dweeb.”

“Thanks for the help, nerd,” he rolled his eyes at his unhelpful friend. “Anyways, tell Bubs that I'm off and I'll meet him at the castle.” She gave him a thumbs up as she shoved another cake in her mouth, the basket almost half consumed.

Marshall stalked half dressed around the house. He had found his trousers and trainers on the stairs, and could see his shirt laying by the bathroom door. The only missing item were his pants. “How did I lose my freaking underwear? They're bright red, not exactly hard to miss!” He bid Fionna a silent apology for the day she found his underwear lying around her house, and shoved on his trousers and shoes. He'd never gone without before, but he had to say, it was pretty liberating.

Strolling towards his shirt, he noticed that the bathroom door was still closed. “Geez, Bubba must've made some bad cupcakes.” He chuckled at his own joke before slipping his shirt over his head. He stopped for a minute, listening at the door. No sound came through. “Well, let's hope he hasn't passed out from the force of it.” He laughed again, before leaving the tree house and his underwear behind.

* 

Gumball let out a relieved sigh. His cheeks felt hot as he realised he hadn't locked the bathroom door. The fear of getting caught shot adrenaline through his veins, and straight to the problem that put him in this situation. His heart slowed down, and he finally took a deep breath. When he first entered the bathroom he had been seized by panic, his only reaction being to hyperventilate. It was a miracle that Marshall didn't notice anything.

Bubba observed the bathroom, noting that it was surprisingly clean, only making what he was doing seem even dirtier. He looked down in shame, when a bundle of red caught his eye. It was just to his left, and looked as if it had been thrown there in haste. He grabbed the item to investigate, as it seemed out of place in the tidy room. It was a red pair of underwear.

His first instinct was to launch it across the room, as far away from him as possible. Then he realised that this pair was distinctly male, and certainly too big for Fionna (Cake doesn't even wear clothes so that was out of the question). _Oh Glob, these are Marshall's_. Gumball moaned as he held them in his hand, it was like the world wouldn't let him ignore his feelings. What would Marshall do if he knew what he was doing right now? The mention of the vampire's name rekindled the spark that had died down at the fear of being caught. But what if he did find out? And what if he joined? His mind played to the fantasy of being caught by Marshall, and finally recreating the scenes that had been plaguing him every time he saw his friend.

The red pants played catalyst in the equation, and soon after Gumball lay there panting, the daydreams drawing to a close. The red pants were now decorated with drops of white, and he found himself still more aroused by the mingling of their smells.

“What the hell are you doing in there, PB?” The banging of the door and Fionna's yells startled Gumball to his feet. He hid the pants behind his back and opened the door to her.

“Ah, sorry about that. Got a call from Peppermint Maid. I really should go. I have, uh, things to attend to,” the words spewed from his mouth in one clump. Fionna eyed him, raising her eyebrow.

“You okay? Marshall said you were looking a bit off?” She inquired. Gumball blushed at the mention his the name.

“Oh, yeah.. I'm fine don't worry. But, anyway, I've gotta get going. Bye!” Gumball darted around Fionna, holding the pants from her view at all times. Twice in one hour he had almost been caught, he really needed to get himself together. He ran from the tree house, wishing his goodbyes to Cake, before speed walking away from the house.

“Oh, PB! Marshall said he'd meet you at yours later!” Fionna yelled after him.

Gumball acknowledged her with a wave of his hand, before running in the direction of the Candy Kingdom.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, bit of a crappy filler while I try and re-motivate myself.

Reaching the safety of the Candy Kingdom, Gumball took a more relaxed form and slowed to a stroll. “Boy, I hope Fionna doesn't figure out what's going on,” Gumball muttered to himself, earning a strange look from the candy people nearby. He wished to take a minute to explain (or rather excuse) his strange behaviour, but he found himself falling short of a plausible idea. The red pants were still balled in his fist, which he subtly tucked into his stomach – a poor attempt at hiding the _evidence._

“ _Hey!_ Your Highness!” The nasally tone materialised to the right of the prince, easily shocking him in his already agitated state.

“Oh, hello there Cinnamon Bun,” he let out a breathy chuckle before continuing. His friend had scared him, but CB was no threat to his current situation. As lovely as she was, she was rather dim-witted, her obtuse nature making it easy for the prince to relax. “I must say you gave me quite the shock.” Cinnamon Bun laughed her distinctive laugh, matching pace with Gumball as he continued his walk to the Castle. The two made idle chat as they walked, Gumball glad for the decline in excitement. He had had enough for the year, let alone that day.

“What's that in your hand?”

Gumball clenched the material tighter, throat narrowing. It appeared that CB was more witty than she appeared. “Oh, this thing?” He lifted the bundle in a quick, casual movement, before returning it to the concealment of his shirt. “It's just some old rubbish I found on my way back. I'm going to dispose of it once I get back to the castle.” He waved off CB's inquiries with the dismissive statement, hoping that his friend would accept his lie.

Cinnamon Bun looked at the prince's face as she contemplated his reply. Gumball forced his shoulders into a nonchalant stance, and softened the features of his face, hoping to exude a trust-worthy aura. His swear-slicked forehead weakened the façade. “Well, okay then,” she chirped, seemingly convinced by his poor attempt at composure. CB ambled off, overjoyed with her prying for the day. Gumball stared in wonder at his friend; for such a simple creature she was certainly a good investigator. He should refer her to the banana guards, they could use the help. _Ah, right. To the castle._ Unwilling to risk another moment being caught in the courtyard, holding Marshall Lee's underwear nonetheless, Gumball dashed the last stretch to the castle and hoped to Glob that Marshall hadn't arrived yet.

*

Clothes littered the whole room, black and red seeming to be the only colours present. Marshal Lee hunched over, half consumed by his wardrobe, as he searched for his sole clean set of pyjamas. “Ah, screw this!” he expelled, shoving aside yet another red item of clothing.

He turned to face the wasteland that was his room, eyes glazed over as he stared hopelessly into the masses of pyjama-less items. _Well,_ he speculated, _I guess we have a situation here and two possible answers._ Gazing thoughtfully at the duffel bag, which lay partially buried beneath the contents of his wardrobe, he took stock of its meagre contents. _Toothbrush, deodorant, socks... Eh,_ screw it. Marshall seized the toothbrush and dived down the stairs, stopping only to slide one of his guitars over his shoulder. The guitar weighed on his back, like an extension of his limbs as he exited the house, headed for the Candy Kingdom and the young prince. However, despite the ease of his journey, a niggling thought ate at the back of his mind. _I think I've forgotten something...,_ he pondered. _Meh, if it was important I would have done it by now._ Without further thought to his forgotten task, the vampire continued his journey minus three crucial items: pyjamas, underwear, and the masses of candy people he was supposed to have invited.


	6. 6

“Oh, your highness.” The suddenness of Peppermint Maid's voice left the prince flabbergasted. His arms shot out, as one would when caught red handed. He succumbed to his maid's apprehensive stare, meekly raising the corner of his mouth into a false smile. “I was wondering when you would return. You still have one duty to attend to - the royal speech is of utmost importance,” she continued, whilst eyeing the hand that had contained the conspicuous bundle.

“Ah, yes. Thank you, Pep. I'm afraid I lost track of time. I'll join you in the hall in just a moment, I just have to, uh, run up to the bathroom.” He reversed down the hallway, fleeing from his faithful maid. “I shall join you in just a moment!” With that, he spun around and walked hurriedly to his chambers.

“Of course, your highness,” Peps replied, in wonderment at her master's strange behaviour. She stared a moment more, before remembering another important detail. “Oh, Prince Gumball!” She yelled after the receding figure. “Marshall has arrived for tonight's event!”

Gumball stopped. He turned to face her.

“What?” He uttered.

Peppermint Maid sensed the prince's tension, and reacted as she saw appropriate. She was used to the prince's abnormal behaviour regarding Marshall Lee; they were a rather ambiguous duo, and she certainly had a distaste for the vampire. “Marshall Lee awaits you, sir. I had him sent to the ballroom, but goodness knows if he is still there. That vampire holds satisfaction in knowing that he has disobeyed my word,” she sniffed. She certainly considered Marshall as being below the prince, but this was not an opinion to be voiced.

The hall reverberated with the prince's unspoken dread. “Thank you,” Gumball spoke in a hushed tone. “That will be all.” He turned away, preparing to leave but stopped once more. “Cancel tonight's meeting, will you?” Recommencing his journey, he walked with a sudden lethargy. _The ONE time Marshall decides to be early, and it's now._ He grasped his temples, hand dragging down his features before flopping back to his side. Knowing the vampire’s location, Gumball was seized by rage, spurred on by the prospect of being caught in such a state. This was not becoming of the young prince, and he refused to let that deviant affect him in such a way. Charging ahead, Gumball raced up the stairs coming to a halt outside of his bedroom door. Music drifted through the door, flooding the corridor. He recognised the rhythm as the one playing when he had waited outside of Marshall's house, draining the anger from his senses. The parallels between the two scenes reminded the prince that he was being held captive in his own home by this man's music.

With a shake of his head, he escaped his music-induced haze. He reviewed his current position. There he was, stood one door away from Marshall, holding said vampire's red underwear which he had used as a masturbatory aid. Panic infused into his veins at the thought. _Oh Glob, what do I do with the underwear?_

Gumball paced in front of the door as he considered his options.  _ I could just bin it? No, that would be suspicious. I could run into the room and hide them, no, he'll smell the guilt on me and I'll end up admitting everything. Oh Glob. What the math should I do? It's not like I can just hide them down my trousers...  _ He ceased his movement. Could he? The music faded out as he realised how precious this decision was. Marshall would notice if he didn't arrive soon, so it appeared he only had one choice. 

Deciding that the ludicrous idea was his only hope, he stuffed the pants into his own, adjusting the seemingly obvious bulge until it was less distinct. Just as he had accepted that his idea may just work, the music recommenced, taking up a much more coquettish rhythm. Marshall's voice meandered along, his mellow tone occupying the prince's thoughts. 

_ “Bad little boy, that's what you think I am. You really don't buy that I'm that kind of gu-u-uy. And if I am, then why do you want to hang out with me...”  _

His voice sent Gumball's heart aflutter,  into a perpetual flurry of heartbeats.  _ You're voice does terrible things to me, Marshall,  _ he thought, his features angry at how disabling the effect was,  _ wonderful, terrible things.  _ Bracing himself for the possibility of disaster, Gumball reassured himself that his bulge didn't appear suspicious (for two reasons now), and entered his chambers.


	7. 7

T he room was pink – absurdly so. However, despite the limited colours, Marshall still found the room insanely adorable. The colour scheme reflected the prince's attire as he entered the room, looking strangely flustered.  Marshall's eyes flickered over the figure. The prince was looking much better than during their previous encounter; his skin had returned to a much healthier shade of pink. Continuing to strum his guitar, he noticed that the prince simply stood there. Strange.

Despite his observations, the vampire gave no outward response. “ Marshall?” Gumball inquired.

“Gumball,” he nodded.  Gumball stood there a moment longer, before sighing and stepping away from the door.

“I thought Peppermint Maid asked you to wait in the ballroom?” He moved around his room, discreetly opening drawers to collect the items for his shower before sliding them closed. Attempting to keep his back to Marshall at all times, Gumball walked over to the wash basket with his newly collected items in hand,  quickly tossing the underwear into the hamper.

“Eh, got bored,” Marshall shrugged. His fingers skilfully plucked the strings of his guitar, changing the melody that had previously encompassed the room.

“ Well, I need a shower. So, unless you're  _ dying _ to see me naked you're going to have to leave.” Gumball began unbuttoning his shirt, cheeks burning as he noticed his friend's refusal to move. He slid the shirt from his shoulders, allowing it to slowly slip down his arms. The rhythm resonating through the room as Marshall played a sour note. He coughed before continuing.

_ Strange _ , Gumball thought,  _ I wonder.  _ Reaching up, he ran his fingers through his hair, before allowing his arm to slowly trace down his neck and along his shoulder blades. Another sour note was struck. Marshall cleared his throat. “Uhh,” he murmured, “I must not have tuned this thing properly...”

“Huh?” Gumball questioned, faking ignorance. “It sounds fine to me, Marshall. Please, keep playing.” Marshall nodded, and the tune recommenced. Gumball smirked to himself, realising that maybe the vampire wasn't quite as unreachable as he seemed. 

Deciding his next move, Gumball removed his crown from his head, strolling over to his bedside to place it on one of his pillows. Following his usual tradition, he stretched out and massaged his scalp, fingers tugging gently at his roots. He emphasised the action, allowing a small moan to slip from his mouth. “Glob,” he breather, “that feels amazing.” He let another moan loose, as he reached the area where the crown had weighed heavily on him. Something resembling a squeak erupted from Marshall's direction, and the music stopped. Gumball was drawn from his pleasurable state and turned to face Marshall, his expression still laced with ecstasy. The vampire was staring at him,  his cheeks dusted with a red blush. “Marshall?”  He asked. He leant across the bed towards Marshall, hand placed halfway between the two, “Are you okay?”

“Uhh,” Marshall gulped, “yeah. I'm fine, Bubba.” The use of the familiar nickname made Gumball smile. 

“Good.” He stood up and walked back over to the wash basket, carefully unbuttoning his trousers. He pulled down the zip before turning to his friend, the game suddenly forgotten as he remembered his desire to shower. Bubba turned to Marshall, asking him to pass a towel from the pile in the corner, before refacing the basket.  There was no thump of a blanket landing at his feet. “Marshall,” he questioned, turning to fully face his friend. 

Marshall's eyes were glazed over, affixed to his chest before his gaze wandered down his body, lingering at the slip of boxers exposed by the open zip. “ Marshall!”

“What? Oh, yeah.” He cast his eyes downwards and threw a towel in Gumball's general direction. “Hey, Bubba. I'm gonna head down to the kitchen and grab a snack, alright?” He landed heavily on his feet, before scampering to the door.

“Sure thing,” he replied and watched his friend escape the room. Bubba chuckled to himself, unsure of yet entertained by the vampire's behaviour.  He finished removing his trousers, and swept up the towel before heading to the shower.  _ This is going to be a weird night. _

*

M arshall paced in the hallway, hands grabbing his hair erratically.  _ Oh Glob, what the math was that?  _ Certainly, Prince Gumball was attractive, Marshall couldn't deny that, but that was his friend. He had never reacted so... obviously to his physical appearance before. He had joked about the two of them, about how they would make a great couple – and even greater  _ lovers _ , but that was only to get a reaction from the prince.  Well, mostly for the reaction. Marshall had been handling a mild crush on the prince for the past few decades. The two had their fallings out, which made it easy to deal with, but as of late they had grown closer and that had good and bad effects. The bad being moments like now when his self-control was tested. Bubba was usually shy, in the time they had known each other he had never seen his friend in anything less than his somewhat formal day wear, let alone stripped down  to bare chest. 

Bubba had a slim build, lean muscle decorating his smooth front. His open trousers had revealed a light trail of hair leading into his black boxers, the only non-pink item the prince wore. Marshall could feel a tense heat in his lower body, an intense attraction that he begged to be forgotten to prevent an awkward night. 

Night had fallen fast during their short conversation, and the hallway was now bathed in moonlight. A line of light against his face informed him that he had not properly closed the door when he had left. Heaving a sigh, he went to close to door, glancing through the gap as he did so. He planned to close the door and leave for the kitchen immediately, but found his face cemented to the open space.  From the distance, he heard Gumball's faint chuckle and wondered what had caused the laughter. His thoughts, however, halted when he bent at the hips slowly dragging his trousers down his legs. They seemed ridiculously long, as inch by inch he revealed tantalising pink flesh. Gumball's behind became more prominent as he bent further down, Marshall couldn't help but appreciate the plump appearance of his friend's bum. “Oh, Glob,” he whispered, hand running through his hair as heat ravaged his body. Gumball stood suddenly, causing Marshall to jump back from the door. He stood there, a foot away from his peep hole, chest heaving with lustful breaths. The moonlight illuminated the pink that tainted his cheeks, making his erratic state obvious. Running his hand down his face, he shook his head as he realised exactly what he had done. “Get a grip, Marshall,” he reprimanded himself, “get a grip.” 


	8. 8

“ Ey, where the freakin' snacks at, Peps?” Marshall asked in the general direction of Peppermint Maid. One of his favourite past times was to annoy her with his boisterous behaviour, and ' _ foul _ ' language. Her stare pierced into his back as he ransacked the cupboards of the grand kitchen; yet another pink room.

“There are strawberries in the cupboard, if you must eat,” she spoke through clenched teeth. “I would appreciate it if you would not make a mess of the kitchen,  _ please, _ ” the word was spat as if it were poisonous. Marshall glanced over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the maid's unusually polite behaviour.

“Wow,” he uttered, “you're really trying tonight. Stop it, or you might actually make me feel guilty for once.” Smirking, he carried on to the cupboard Peppermint Maid had gestured towards.

“Oh, if only you had the decency...” The maid swiftly exited the room before the sound reached Marshall's ears, an amazing feat considering his enhanced vampire senses.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he resumed his plundering. He opened the cupboard said to have housed the strawberries, but instead was greeted with a mountainous selection of red foods.  Marshall took a mental survey of the food: strawberry laces, watermelon, red gummy bears, red grapes, and balanced atop the pile a basket of fresh picked strawberries. Water trickled down the side of the top strawberry, the cool stream told them they had been recently chilled. 

W ater pooled in his mouth as he imagined piercing the puckered skin and draining the strawberry of its red.  Damn he was hungry.

“I see you've found the supply.” The voice startled Marshall, causing him to smash his head into the cupboard door when he attempted to face the intruder.

“Ow, Glob.” His arm sprang to protect his eye from any further damage. Muttering a string of curses, he eyed the owner of the voice suspiciously. “Don't scare me like that, Gummy.”  A pink arm reached over, and pulled his hand from his eye. Before he knew it, he was inches away from Gumball, while the prince inspected his eye. Gumball wore a black t-shirt, with some obscure metal band printed across the front.  _ Wait a minute,  _ he thought.

“Isn't that the shirt I gave you?” he inquired. Gumball was quiet for a moment, while he assessed Marshall's eye. He poked the delicate flesh, drawing a hiss from the childish vampire.

“You've thought evil beasts, and you can't handle a bruised eye?” Raising an eyebrow at Marshall, he continued to speak, “and yes, it is. It wasn't really appropriate prince attire, but I still wear it as a pyjama top.”

“Oh,” was Marshall's simple reply. Honestly, the vampire had assumed that Gumball had scoffed at his gift and immediately disposed of it. To see him wearing it right now was, to speak metaphorically, warming his cold, dead heart.  He looked down to observe the top once more. There were wrinkles and crumples across the top, and a small patch where the print was faded. Paired with the top, was a pair of white and pink striped boxers. “Oh.” He repeated. The boxers were just tight enough to outline the muscles of Bubba's thighs, and (he hoped) his behind too. 

Marshall looked back up to find Bubba watching him, hand still gripping his wrist as they stood inches apart. The vampire went to speak, but was interrupted by Gumball.

“Where are your pyjamas?”

“Uhhh, I forgot.” 

Gumball groaned, knowing he should have expected this of his friend. “Well, I suppose you can just borrow some of mine then.” He turned on his heel, heading back up to his bedroom and Marshall's previous thoughts were confirmed. Gumball's backside was perfectly outlined by the boxers, and absolutely gorgeous. He had left the room by the time Marshall realised he had been staring too intensely to follow. Running after his friend, Marshall shook his head, hoping to shake the not so innocent thoughts from his mind.

“ Wait,” he stopped again. “What about food?”

“C'mon, Marshall!”

*

B ubba threw open the doors to his wardrobe, an impressive walk-in extension that would be the envy of any designer label. He hummed to himself as he walked to the corner reserved for sleepwear.  Marshall leaned against the door of the wardrobe, watching the man search. His limbs were angled awkwardly as he attempted to maintain his usual cool manner, but instead appeared  uncomfortable and slightly constipated.

“Ah, these should fit you just-” Gumball spun around, cuddling a bundle of material to his chest successfully. “Hey, are you okay?” Marsha l l found himself disabled by his friend's concern.

“ Uh, yeah I'm fine. Just thinking.”

“About what?” Gumball handed over the pyjamas, piling them into Marshall's arms. Holding the pile, he realised the trouble he had just landed himself in. A flood of thoughts and excuses washed over his mind.  _ What do I say? 'I haven't really eaten today so I AM LITERALLY STARVING, or 'Oh, I was just thinking about how fine you looked in those boxers', or 'Yeah, I about those candy people I should have invited. I didn't.  _ He paused.  _ Damn, how'm I gonna tell Bubba that. I guess now is as good as ever. _

“You know all those candy people I invited?” He approached the topic gently, hoping not to spoil their night before it stared.

“Ah, yes! What time are they arriving? I have CB's favourite film waiting in the DVD player, I must say that the film has-”

“Yeah, I didn't invite them.”

The look that Gumball fixed Marshall with was both intimidating, yet strangely arousing. His anger made his features harden, accentuating his jawline and the veins along his neck; the look was an appetising change from his usual perky manner. He felt hunger peck at his stomach; had he been this hungry earlier? Marshall's eyes drifted from Gumball's face to his neck, his stare settling on his pulsing vein. Hunger had already struck him (hence his venture to kitchen), making the effect much more acute. Heightened senses usually played to Marshall's advantage, but the rage fueled throbbing of Gumball's heart drowned out his rant. He could feel the heat radiating from the point, each pulse rocking through his body in a concoction of thirst and lust. Vision blurring, he started forward, slowly approaching Gumball. Ears now pounding alongside Gumball's heart, he was death to Gumball's silence as the vampire stalked forward. 

“ Marshall?” Gumball stuttered. The vampire continued to walk forward, forcing Gumball backwards. His back soon hit a wall, ceasing his movements, but still he was pursued. Marshall's towered over him, as he leant down, mouth hovering over over the vein. “Marshall?” The question fell on death ears. Fear and arousal sparked within Gumball, this was an old fantasy of his, but the prospect of Marshall losing control was actually terrifying. His eyes clenched shut as the vampire pressed closer. Gumball forced them open, searching for an escape. To his left he spotted an odd shoe he had tossed there earlier that day; the exterior was dyed a deep red, accentuated by the pattern of the leather.  Slowly he reached out, inching towards the shoe. He felt Marshall's hot breath as his fangs closed in. 

“MARSHALL!” The shoe slammed into Marshall's mouth, knocking the vampire to the floor. He lay there and a moment passed. The two maintained eye contact, waiting for the other to move. Sweat threatened to drip down Gumball's forehead as he watched. Slowly, the red of the shoe drained to a solid grey and Marshall's eyes cleared. He looked at Gumball, pressed against the wall, and then to himself. Realising the item in his mouth, he spat it out, panting as the blood lust passed out of his system.

“Oh, Glob. Gumball, I'm...” Gumball didn't reply. Marshall sighed before retreating to the furthest point from him within the cupboard, realising that his friend needed space. It took a few moments for the adrenaline to drain from the situation, and only then did Gumball speak.

“I – I've never seen you that bad before.”

“Yeah,” Marshall chuckled. “There are some...  _ things _ that make vampires go kinda nuts. Especially when they're weak or hungry.” He cast his gaze down to the now grey shoe, guilt racking through his nerves. Gumball peeled himself from the wall,  progressing towards Marshall. He stopped before him, catching his eye.

“Let's get you something to eat, then you can explain the fuck just happened.”


	9. 9

A monochrome mountain balanced precariously between the two. Marshall nibbled the tip of a snack, now indiscernible in its grey state. He tossed it atop the pile, the addition causing an avalanche that spilled over the side of the table.

“So?..” Gumball poked at Marshall's arm, trying to provoke speech from the vampire. “Marshall. What's happening? You've been acting strange since you arrived.” He rested his pink hand over the vampire's pale one, forcing the link between the two. Marshall tensed at the contact before relaxing. So, Gummy wasn't mad at him. Clearly he wasn't the only insane one. He eased out of his hunched position, leaning back into the chair to observe his friend.

“Y'know,” he chuckled weakly, “the normal reaction to almost being bitten is to scream and fight, not to treat them to dinner and cuddle.” He raised their hands, emphasising his point. Gumball sighed, and attempted to remove his hand, but instead Marshall interlocked their fingers.

“True,” Gumball agreed. He fought a smile that threatened to break out. “But this vampire has been my _best_ friend for decades,” he stressed the word 'best', “and I know that he'd never purposely hurt me.” The statement forced a weight onto Marshall's spirit. How could he explain this aspect of vampire physiology without admitting everything? _Well,_ he thought, _here goes nothing._

“You ready for your first lesson in vampirism then?” He asked, grinning in reply to Gumball's nod and smirk. “Well, you know the basics. Vampire gets hungry, eats red or blood, vampire not so hungry any more.” Gumball nodded along with each point. “But what you don't know is the factors effecting the thirst.”

“Go on,” Gumball ushered him, eyes wide with curiosity.

“First off, there's how hungry you are. If you haven't eaten for a while the sight of red or the sound of a pulse can push you over the edge. Secondly, there's fatigue. Y'know, if you're hella tired you're not so good at controlling your impulses and you just lash out. And thirdly...” Hesitant to admit the third factor, his speech faded to silence.

“Thirdly?” Gumball inquired, intrigued to be learning so much about the species. Vampires were very rarely open about their weaknesses, especially Marshall. To hear this was an incredibly rare occasion. Marshall exhaled a defeated sigh.

“Thirdly is lust. Carnal pleasure is strong enough on its own, but combine it with thirst and you're psychotic. A combination of any of the three and you're crazy unrelenting, and undefeatable.” It was silent as his explanations drew to a close. He peaked at Gumball, to find his mouth open in wonder and eyes focussed on him.

“Wow,” he breathed, “I didn't realise how intense it could get.” He gave Marshall's hand a reaffirming squeeze before letting a chuckle escape. “You must have been pretty damn hungry, I should've left you in the kitchen to eat.”

“Yeah... hungry.” He thought back on the day's events. Yes, he had been pretty hungry, but he had also been witness to Gumball flustered, half-naked, and deliciously inflicted with rage. He had learned to control his hunger half a century ago, but he had never experienced arousal so strongly before. He may have known the cause of his state, but he sure as hell wasn't letting Gumball know.

“Hey,” the prince whispered, seeing his friend's uncertain face. “Let's not let this ruin our night. The candy people might not be coming, but we have a dozen movies and a blanket fort to enjoy.” Keeping a hold of his hand, Gumball drew the vampire to his feet, and embraced him tightly. He cuddled into the vampire's neck, appreciating their proximity. Marshall's arms hovered to his sides, uncertain of where to position themselves, before resting on the prince's back. Slowly he relaxed and rested his chin on Gumball's soft, candy hair.

“I'm sorry, Bubba,” he whispered, nuzzling into the pink hair.

“I'm sorry too.” Marshall had no idea what Gumball was apologising for, instead choosing to remain silent and enjoy what was left of their embrace. Grumpily, Gumball peeled himself from Marshall's arm, leaving their hands linked together. He turned to leave the kitchen, but was stopped by Marshall's unmoving form. The vampire stayed stationary, shocked by the intimacy of their hug. Gumball broke him out of the trance, with a gentle tug of his arm.

“C'mon. Twilight's in the DVD player.” The two exited the kitchen, and headed for the ballroom, fingers still entwined.

“Aw, c'mon man. That film's terrible. What vampire sparkles? It's ridiculous and insulting!” Marshall ranted. Gumball merely scoffed at the vampire's sudden change in attitude and smiled.

“Well, I told you it was Cinnamon Bun's favourite that was in there. Maybe if you sparkled you'd be less miserable. Now, hurry up, I want some popcorn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may be getting slighty carried away...


	10. 10

_'I know what you are.'_

“Well, duh. It's pretty obvious.” Marshall's incessant complains interrupted yet another scene of the movie. He burrowed further into their shared blanket, hiding from the scene currently playing.

“Shhh, Marshall. I like this scene,” Gumball reprimanded his friend without removing his eyes from the screen.

“But it's _sooooo_ bad!”

Gumball batted at the lump in the blanket that was Marshall, a non-verbal telling off. “Well, at least let me watch it.” He moaned. Deep murmurs could be heard from under the blanket as Marshall complained about the quality of the film. Squirming around, Marshall tried to distract Gumball from the film, but to no avail. The fail of his fidgets left him no other option than to assemble a mass of snacks. He gathered up the remaining strawberries and watermelon slices, before snuggling back down into his bunker.

The room had been hung with blankets and drapes, and the floor masked with pillows; the room was unrecognisable, seeming to resemble a luxurious tent rather than the ballroom. The blankets hung low, just a foot above their heads when sat upright, the two had had to crawl in order to enter the fort (Gumball had entered first providing Marshall with a delightful view).

Marshall curled around the snacks, pecking randomly without interest until the food was speckled with grey. Edward droned on in the background, brooding over his forbidden love. Marshall found himself drifting away, heart-throb vampires and bubblegum pink colliding into a strange yet wonderful fantasy.

*

Gumball sighed as the credits rolled across the screen. The beating of his heart seemed audible to him, as he recovered from Edward's chiselled looks; Marshall wasn't the only vampire who set him off. At the thought, he glanced over to the vampire, surprised to have not heard a single word from him for the last hour of the film.

Nuzzled between a series of blankets, Marshall had curled in on himself, sheltering his stash of food. One hand wrapped around a pillow, pulling it closer, another resting against his side. Marshall's breathing was quiet and easy, strands of his hair blew in the breeze it created. Gumball left to gather snacks, deciding to leave his friend in his peaceful state; he deserved it after the stress of the day. Crawling out from the fort, he left to retrieve a few items from his room. The walk there was short and quiet without the company of his usually boisterous mate, but he appreciated the moment of quiet.

The sun had fully set hours ago and the darkness cast shadows across his room. As he entered the doorway, Gumball flicked a switch just to his left. Small balls of light appeared, bathing the room in a warm glow. The lights appeared as fireflies who had lost their way in the dark of night, instead choosing to share their light with the prince. Gumball fiddled briefly with the switch, until the fireflies adjusted their light from a brighter yellow to a deep gold that enveloped the room. He hummed to himself as he rummaged through his draw, collecting a book that he had abandoned at the start of the week (one he had told himself he would _definitely_ return to that same day). Before he left, he stopped to shove on a pair of fuzzy bed socks (pink of course), and scooped up the pyjamas that he had intended to give to Marshall. Items in hand, he turned to leave the room, finding a sleepy Marshall blocking his path.

Marshall's shoulders were slouched, and his shirt wrinkled awkwardly from lying on the floor. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, overly-aware of how he looked in his tired state. “I woke up and you were gone,” he said, eyes cast downwards in embarrassment. Gumball held out the pyjamas in response.

“I forgot to give you these.” Bubba smiled sympathetically, overwhelmed by how adorable Marshall looked, but conscious that the vampire _hated_ being considered cute and cuddly. In his own mind Marshall was attractive and charismatic, and he was, but Marshall was also damn cute, and it could not be denied at that moment.

“Thanks, Bubba,” he yawned, accepting the clothes from his friend. Forgetting all diffidence from earlier on, Marshall stripped himself of his shirt, reaching down to unbutton his trousers before he was hit with the realisation. “Uhh, Bubba?” Gumball eyes had widened, fixed on Marshall's chest, but darted around in embarrassment at being addressed.

“Yes, Marshall?

“...I don't have any pants on.”

Gumball feigned ignorance, hoping that Marshall wouldn't notice the familiar red bundle in his wash basket. He painted on a miffed expression, hoping his voice wouldn't give him away. “Trust you to not wear pants, Marshall Lee. How do you even forget them?”

“Hey, I had them before I showered at Fionna's. Either that girl is disturbingly into me or there's an underwear goblin on the loose.” Marshall raised his eyebrow at Gumball in suspicion. “Unless it was you.”

Gumball's face burned a bright red, as he spouted a stream of incoherent words. “What? I would never.. The nerve of it... What would _I_ do with _your_ underwear, why I-”

The prince's rambling was interrupted by laughter from the vampire. He doubled over, chest heaving as he laughed at the prince. “Oh my Glob! It is so easy to get to you. Dude, you gotta chill out, or I'll cry from laughing.” Gumball harrumphed at his friend's behaviour, although he was secretly relieved that he had not been caught out.

“Marshall Lee, you are a nightmare.”

“You know it, baby,” he winked. The sound died out along with Marshall's laughter as the two observed each other. Marshall's top half was still bare. A light blush had spread across his collar bone from the sudden laughter, outlining his deep collar bones. Gumball couldn't help but steal glances at the well-toned body, the years of running from trouble had treated him well. The prince felt his cheeks burn once again, and damned his pale skin for making his blushes so obvious.

“So...” Marshall looked at his friend, hoping to borrow a pair of underwear for the night. Just the thought of wearing Gumball's underwear made his temperature increase by 10 degrees.

“Oh no, don't you look at me like that,” Gumball crossed his arms. “You're just gonna have to go without.” He raised his chin to emphasise his point, refusing to be swayed.

“Aw,” he moped. “You just wanna see me naked, Gummy.” Gumball's shoulder's raised at the audacity of the statement, despite the truth it held. Pinching his temples, he closed his eyes, not allowing himself to be worked up (in both arousal and annoyance) by the statement.

“Marshall Lee, why you are just the most-” The speech died in his mouth as he opened his eyes. Marshall stood before him, observing the trousers. The sight itself would not have been strange, save for the fact that Marshall was 100% stark naked. _Oh Glob._ Marshall was much smaller than the prince himself, but was far more defined. Muscles lined his legs, accentuating the subtle curves of his thighs and calves. His hips were narrow, with a distinct v leading to his... _don't look at his penis, don't look at his penis, don't look at his penis._ Gumball's stare skipped the next area, not because he was disinterested (believe me he was _very_ interested), but for the sake of maintaining a calm and purely platonic night.

“You like what you see?” Gumball's eyes snapped up to Marshall's face, aware that he had most definitely been caught. One of Marshall's eyebrows was raised and a smirk played at the corner of his lips as he finally dragged the pyjama bottoms over his legs. To Gumball's misfortune, he tied the waist of the trousers tightly, hiding his hips from view. Marshall waggled his tongue playfully at Gumball, causing the prince to storm from the room.

“Oh, hurry up will you,” he muttered as he passed.

“Aw, don't be like that, Bubba.” Marshall caught up with Gumball as he stomped down the hallway. “Jeez, you're touchy today.” Gumball clenched his jaw, aware of how sensitive he was being, but it was hard not to be sensitive when all the blood in his body kept rushing down to his groin.

“And you're annoying today!” He snapped. His pace slowed, as he attempted to calm himself. _Y'know,_ he told himself, _it's about time I actually had some fun._ Gumball had grown sick of the vampire's swinging moods and his own uncontrollable libido, it was about time he relaxed about the whole situation and enjoyed himself. Deciding to take the situation head one, Gumball turned to face his friend, only to find the space empty.

“Marshall?” He spun around, fining Marshall stood several feet behind, a somewhat amused grin plastered across his face. How he hated and loved that face. The two stood facing each other in a silent stand off, Marshall continuing to smirk and Gumball stone-faced. After a minute, a smile spread across Bubba's face suspiciously slow. Marshall's expression faltered as he saw the strange expression on his friend's face.

With an unexpected suddenness, Gumball strode forward, wrapping his arms around Marshall's neck. The vampire wobbled, not expecting the sudden contact.

“Oh Edward,” Gumball wailed dramatically. “Why must you be so brooding?”

“Edward? What are you – hey, I'm not brooding!” Marshall complained.

“You're impossibly fast and strong. Your skin is pale white and ice cold. I know what you are.” Marshall rolled his eyes at his friend's dramatics.

“Ugh, really? Could you stop with the twilight?”

“Vampire!” Gumball unwrapped his arm from Marshall's shoulder. The vampire found himself following the prince's touch as the two unravelled. Flopping back onto to wall, Gumball draped a hand over his forehead. “Oh, Edward! Why must our love be forbidden. Me a young, sweet girl. You a brooding, miserable eternal. Why must the world treat us so?” He exclaimed in a high pitch, imitating a young girl's wail.

“Alright, Gumball. Ha ha, very funny. Now stop with the dramatics.” He waited, hands on hips, for the prince so stop acting so stupid.

“But, Edward! Don't you love me? Don't you want to bite my soft, pink neck?” Starting from the chin, he slowly drew his finger along his jawline and down his neck, stopping at his pulse point. Marshall's pupils dilated at the sight of Marshall draped willingly in front of him, fingers stroking his pulse point.

“Augh,” he yelled, tugging at his hair. “Alright, Bella. That's enough fun for you.” Grabbing hold of Gumball, Marshall took the prince into his arms, before throwing him over his shoulder. Another 'Oh Edward!' was the only reply received. Marshall held Gumball's back steady as he marched back to the pillow fort. Gumball's head was level with Marshall's behind, and he thanked himself that his teasing had resulted in being in this position.

The vampire didn't release his grip as he entered the ballroom, advancing towards the entrance of the fort. Gradually, Gumball slid forward as he wriggled, stubbornly attempting to break free and resume his act. One final fidget rendered the vampire's grip useless as he felt Gumball drop from his hands. He spun with haste as he felt the prince fall, turning to face the door. A soft thud resounded through the room, followed by an 'ow', as Gumball landed heavily onto a heap of pillows.

“I believe you meant 'thank you, Marshall', not 'ow',” the vampire lectured. Gumball raised an eyebrow at the vampire.

“Thank you for dropping me on the floor, Marshall. That was _truly_ an example of your supernatural strength.”

“Hey! I could've dropped you on the tiles, but there you are lay on a pile of fluffy pillows.” Marshall glared dangerously at Gumball. There were two things he couldn't stand: being called cute, and being compared to Edward Cullen.

Gumball breathed heavily, as he recovered from the fall, watching Marshall's exasperation. From that angle Marshall's legs appeared long and powerful, and his chest seemed broader and more commanding. The depths of his eyes glowed with deep red, a hint at the extent of his annoyance; those eyes were deadly and threatening, and only made Gumball want him more. It was when the vampire displayed this power that Gumball found himself weak at the knees. He thanked Glob that he was already lay down, otherwise he would have dropped to the floor (again).

“So... You gonna join me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has carried on for much longer than intended. I'm gonna try and end it in a few chapters, but it refuses to be ended. So, lets see where we end up.


	11. 11

Marshall exhaled his annoyed anger, and lowered himself to lay next to the prince. The only sound was the distant clatter of banana guards patrolling the castle. The two lay somewhat awkwardly, both deciding their next move. Marshall considered the prince's dramatics, wondering at the strange behaviour. _Wait,_ he thought, _was he flirting?_ He batted the idea away before it developed any further, unwilling to plant false hope in his heart. The vampire considered himself a natural flirt and so easily hid his true feelings behind this façade, however he was completely oblivious to the flirting of others. If it weren't for Ashley's blunt nature, he would never have realised that she liked him.

Ashley: that had been one long disaster, one that he deeply regretted. Somehow, he found himself not caring as he lay close to Gumball. Marshall rolled to his side, and found himself nose to nose with the pink prince himself. “Why, hello there your majesty.”

Gumball giggled at their proximity, realising how inappropriate it would seem to passers-by. “Hello, Marshall.”

“So...” Marshall murmured, running his hand along the narrow space that separated them. “What's next on the agenda?” Gumball scrunched his face as he considered the options, forcing his nose to wrinkle in the most adorable manner.

“Well, we have a few options,” he counted out their choices on his fingers, as a child would. “Peppermint maid set up twister outside the fort. We could play truth or dare, Fionna's favourite. And, oh, we have more movies to watch. There's some gory slasher film in there for you.”

Seeing his window of opportunity Marshall jumped up, dragging Gumball along with him. “C'mon! Let's go watch the slasher!” He whined impatiently, as Gumball lagged behind him. “It's been _forever_ since we watched a horror together, had a change of heart, Bubba?”

“No,” Bubba blushed. “But, it's your turn to choose the film, and it seemed like something you'd watch.” The two crawled into the fort, Bubba cocooning himself in a blanket once they arrived at the TV. His heart was aflutter as Marshall slid the DVD in; to be frank, Gumball was a complete and total scaredy-cat, but he would do everything in his power to hide it. He felt a thump at his side, accompanied with a chuckle, as Marshall landed beside him.

“Awww, you're not scared, are you Gummy?” He mocked wrapping his arms around the bundle of blankets that was his friend. Marshall heard a quiet _'no...'_ from beneath the blankets, the prince often forgot his enhanced hearing abilities. “No? Well, why don't I just turn the volume up then.”

*

The credits rolled and Marshall cheered the film, and its many decapitations. Gumball had remained surprisingly quiet throughout, hiding his face behind his blanket shield and squeaking in fear when his reactions had been too slow. Marshall turned towards the bundle, peaking through the gap where Gumball's face poked from whenever he had thought the violence had died down. “You okay in there?”

“Me? Oh, I'm fine. Just dandy,” Gumball babbled. The sheets pulled tighter, as he hugged himself. Marshall couldn't hide a smile at his friend's adorable stubbornness, the brief moment of weakness making him sentimental.

“Aw, come her you big wad!” He exclaimed, dragging Gumball into a deep embrace. A squeal erupted from Gumball, as the sheets fell from his form and he fell into Marshall's arms.

“Really, Marshall?” Gumball took an offended tone. “I'm not some child who needs comforting.” Marshall raised his eyebrow.

“Oh?” He questioned. “Then why don't I just go and grab us some-” His attempt at a quick departure was foiled as Gumball grabbed at his arm. His eyes were cast downward, as an embarrassed blush spread across his face.

“Fine, I'm scared.” He admitted. Marshall sat back beside his friend, leaning into him as he wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him closer.

“I know you are, you dork. You didn't think I'd actually leave you, did you?”

Gumball shook his head, resting his ear on Marshall's shoulder. He saw the shadows dancing in the dips and folds of the blanket fort. His shoulders tensed as the cold crept up his legs, no longer protected by the blanket. “Hey,” he prodded Marshall.

“What?” Marshall murmured into Gumball's hair.

“Let's not stay here tonight.” Taking the vampire's hand, Gumball led the two out of the fort and up towards his room.


	12. 12

Seeing his advantageous position, Gumball had turned the situation in his favour. He gripped Marshall's hand tightly as he led them into his room, only letting go to bunker beneath the sheets, before pulling the vampire down beside him.

Marshall stayed on top of the sheets, unsure of where he stood with Gumball after the prince's flirtatious behaviour. Honestly, he wasn't even sure how he felt himself; he was just one big hodge podge of emotions. He became lost in thought as the two lay in the quiet, the glowing orbs casting a gentle light that made their skin glow. Marshall enjoyed the moment to think after the days event, and was determined to make it last as long as possible. His plans, however, were ruined. There was a thud followed by a yelp, and next thing he knew the young prince was wrapped around his form, quaking in fear. A sigh escaped. He rested his hand on Gumball's head, stroking his hair in an attempt at comforting.

“Bubba?”

“Mmm?” Came the muffled response.

“No more scary movies for you, okay?”

Gumball smirked into Marshall's chest, both amused and flattered by Marshall's concern. As wrong as it was, he may have been _slightly_ exaggerating his fear, just enough to enough to provide an excuse to get close to the vampire. Really, he was scared, but he was mostly pleased at the outcome.

He pulled his face away from Marshall's chest, stealing a look at the vampire. Marshall had closed his eyes and appeared in thought. His hand continued to stroke his hair, but otherwise he remained motionless. Although this was a moment to treasure, Gumball wanted to speak to the vampire, to share and confess with him. However, Gumball was also a humongouscoward and emotionally constipated, and so would rather leave impossible hints than admit his feelings.

“Marshall,” he whined. Marshall opened an eye and turned to Gumball, knowing that a request would follow.

“Yes?”

“You brought your guitar didn't you?” Marshall nodded affirmatively. “Can you play something, please?”

“Of course I can, Bubba,” Marshall laughed, “No need to be so polite, you never usually are.” Bubba sneered at the comment as he slid over to the chest of drawers where his guitar rested, and returned to Gumball with it in hand. Marshall perched on the edge of the bed, peering at Gumball in query. “So... What do you want me to play then?”

Gumball thought over all the tunes he had heard Marshall play that day, deciding he would request them all eventually. “What was that one you were playing earlier this morning, when I came over to your house? That one was really pretty.” Marshall strummed the initial notes, raising an eyeball at Gumball to confirm it was the right one. Gumball's smile told him it was, and he drifted into the song.

At some point in the song Gumball had leaned forward: cheeks rested on palms, elbows rested on knees. He watched Marshall play, amazed at the delicacy of his voice.

_Everything stays, right where you left it. Everything stays, but it's still changing..._

The last few lines faded to a close, and Marshall was drawn from the memories the song evoked. Gumball remained face in palms, gaping at Marshall.

“Uhhh, Bubba?” Gumball blinked, clearing the glaze from his eyes. He leant back swiftly, clasping his hands between his crossed legs.

“Oh, yes,” he stuttered. “You were very pretty.” Marshall raised an eyebrow questioningly. Gumball inhaled dramatically he realised his words. “NO, I meant the song. Yes, the song. It was very pretty. The song was pretty...”

“I know what you meant,” Marshall chuckled. His heart was aflutter as he watched the prince stutter. He leant over to Bubba, ruffling his hair pink playfully. “You adorable nerd. What d'you want next?”

Gumball groaned, finding the cute nickname undermining of his princely status. “Just play anything,” he muttered. Marshall immediately swayed into music mode, picking a lilting tone. Gumball recognised the rhythm as the one Marshall had been playing when he had been hiding the suspicious package from the vampire's sight. He listened carefully to the lyrics, now that he wasn't clouded by lust. _Oh,_ he thought, realising the meaning behind the lyrics. Gumball certainly was a 'good little boy' at times, and yes he was prone to picking fights with Marshall, but _never_ intentionally.

The memory of the song cleared, and Gumball found himself singing along. His singing voice was rusty, but as the song progressed he found himself becoming more confident. Glancing up, his eyes locked with Marshall's. Gumball refused to let his gaze slip, staying fixed on Marshall as he sang. Marshall could be described as a 'bad little boy', certainly in terms of attractiveness, but Gumball didn't fall for the façade. He knew his friend, and knew when he was using an act as a shield. As much as Marshall didn't want to admit it, Gumball knew he was just a lonely, cuddly bear.

It was Marshall's turn to stare as the song drew to a close. He was unused to Gumball being so relaxed, and he had never even heard the prince sing before. Clearing his throat, Marshall broke their stare and watched his fingers as they fiddled with the strings of the guitar. “I didn't know you sang,” he smiled.

“There's a lot to learn about me, Marshall Lee.” Unaccustomed to hearing his full name, Marshall looked up at the prince. Gumball had leaned forward, hand placed halfway between the two to support his weight. He raised his eyebrows at Marshall, smiling at the vampire.

Marshall looked to the offered hand and back to Gumball, before placing his grey hand over his pink one. “I'd like to learn more about you,” he sighed. “How long have we been friends, Gumball?”

“Why, near enough a century.” Surprise laced Gumball's tone as he realised the length of their connection.

“Exactly,” he said, placing his guitar at the foot of the bed. “A century of friendship, and I didn't even know you could sing.”

“Well, that's nothing to fret about. It's very rare that I sing outside of the shower,” he blushed.

“But that's not the point! I know so many things about you: your birthday, your family, what makes you tick, but there are still so many of things I don't know.”

“Marshall, what are you-”

“Ugh! Why is it so hard to just speak to you!” He ranted, pulling at the roots of his hair.

Gumball watched his friends, allowing him to exercise his distress before taking his hands into his own, stopping him from any further damage. “Marshall,” He stated firmly, grabbing the vampire's attention. Marshall went to speak, but he silenced him by placing a hand over his mouth. “Shut up and listen for a minute. We have known each other for a century - _a century._ That is longer than most people live. You've had a century to get to know me and you'll have next century too, and the one after that, and the one after that. There's bound to be junk that we don't know about each other, but that's the fun of knowing one another: finding out.” He uncovered Marshall's mouth. “There's a lot that I want to know about you too, things that I don't think you'll want to share or just not want me to know, but I am determined to know as much about you as I know about myself.”

Marshall nodded, dropping his head into his hands as he mulled over the words. He felt a hand rest between his shoulder blades and relaxed into the touch. “Gumball-”

“Just ask, Marshall. Anything you want to know, I'll answer.”

*

An hour passed filled with tedious questions about the small details of their lives. Favourite colours, first crushes, parents, friends, foods, everything that they could think of. Gumball found the whole situation intimate and adorable, yet survived with little patience. He wanted to know things about Marshall that only a lover would know, things that only he wanted to know. Containing himself was difficult, but this was something that they both needed to experience, to reinforce their friendship and affirm their trust.

The two lay close on Gumball's bed. Their legs had entwined, tangling them together, and each lay a hand between their bodies. Gumball fought the temptation to just reach out and grab Marshall's hand, instead focussing on answering his questions.

“Hey, Gumball?”

“Hmm?” He questioned, feigning interest.

“I think we've done enough soul searching tonight. Wanna play a game?”

“Sure.”

“Hmmm. You pick, seeing as I forced you to answer all those questions.”

Gumball saw his window of opportunity and offered his suggestion. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare. We need some excitement.”


	13. 13

Marshall propped himself up on an elbow as he processed Gumball's dare. Finally he spoke, emphasising his words with points of his finger.

“You, want me, to streak?” He asked, incredulously.

“Yes,” Gumball confirmed. Seeing the shock on Marshall's face, he explained his choice. “Well, you've already stripped once today. So, unless you're scared...”

“What?” Marshall spat. “I'm not scared! I just don't want anyone to fall for me hot bod.” He emphasised his statement by propping his hand on his hip.

“Psshhh, whatever dude. You're scared,” Gumball provoked, knowing that if he pushed just enough Marshall would crumble.

A series of mutters flowed from Marshall as he dragged himself from the bed. Turning away from Gumball, he stripped of an item of clothing at a time, swinging each one around his head in mock strip tease. Gumball sat up in alarm, watching the process. The tease was supposed to be silly, but damn did it heat him up.

“So,” Marshall looked over his shoulder at Gumball. “Where am I heading?”

“Ah, yes,” Gumball gulped. Walking to the door, he summoned Marshall over, pointing down the hallway. “Go straight ahead, past Peppermint Maid's chambers, downstairs and into the kitchen.”

“Pssh, easy.”

“AND,” he stressed. “Bring back some strawberries. I'll need evidence.” With a raise of his eyebrow, Marshall darted down the corridor, Gumball yelling after him: “No turning invisible!”

Gumball watched as the delightful figure recede. A scream erupted from the end of the hallway, informing him that Marshall had passed by Peppermint Maid's room. He lay back on the bed, awaiting Marshall's return. As he waited, a rather pleasant daydream invaded his mind, involving the sight he had just witnessed. _As wonderful as this is, now is not the time,_ he thought.

“Boo!”

A shriek erupted from the prince as Marshall reappeared. He was knelt by the bed, hiding his lower half. A box of strawberries was presented to him, and Marshall swooped into a dramatic bow. “Your Majesty,” he laughed, spinning around the find his bottoms. Gumball stuffed a strawberry into his mouth, excusing himself from speaking as Marshall accidentally presented his behind to the prince. “So, Gumball,” he announced, turning to face him once his bottoms were shoved over his hips. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Awww, you're so boring,” Marshall pouted, flopping back onto the bed beside Gumball.

“You call it boring, I call it smart,” he shrugged. There was no chance he would perform one of Marshall's likely sadistic dares.

“So, a truth...” The room went quiet for a moment as Marshall considered his options, before he sat upright and stared curiously at Gumball. “Earlier today, at the treehouse. You were acting very strange...”

“Yes,” Gumball gulped, aware of how carefully he had to tread around the topic.

“Why was that? You got a thing for Fionna, don't you?” Marshall stuck out his tongue playfully, mocking the prince.

“Goodness no!” Gumball spat out, face burning red as he crossed his arms in protest. “Fionna is a _friend._ A good friend too. And anyways, she's not my type...”

“Oh, so you have a type do you?” Marshall raised an eyebrow, inquisitively.

“That was not part of the question.”

“Well, then. Give me an answer, why the strange behaviour?”

Gumball exhaled slowly, forming an answer in his mind. “I may have seen a certain someone,” he began uncertainly. “And it may have somewhat unsettled me.” A long 'oooooh' erupted from Marshall, but Gumball cut him off before he could speak. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“I though truths were boring?” Marshall rolled his eyes at Gumball, ushering him on with a wave of his hand. “Fine. What is your most prized possession?” Gumball decided to play it safe after his previous choice in dare, however he didn't anticipate the blush that spread across Marshall's face.

“Well, it's – uhhh. Okay, I'm not a sap or anything, but... I have this old bear. His name's Hambo, and we've been through everything together, and he means a lot to me, okay?” There was no response, Gumball remained frozen in place, eyes wide and mouth in a small smile.

“Aww, Marshall that is ADORABLE!” He squealed, attacking his friend with a hug.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Anyway, I know you're gonna pick truth, so: what's your type then?”

Gumball released Marshall from his grip, leaning back to think. A difficult situation was to be faced, he could either: make something up (but Marshall always knew when he was lying), or he could drop some not so subtle hints.

“Well,” he mulled over his options. “My type is someone talented. Someone who I know and can trust. Somebody... interesting. And attractive.” The light that the orbs emitted seemed much warmer as he confessed his preferences, he was unaccustomed to being so open about his preferences. “And what about you?”

“I _was_ going to choose dare but all right.” His fingers played with his hair as he thought momentarily before answering. They had been quite tentative when approaching their emotions, neither wanting to give themselves away. “He'd have to be smart, otherwise he'd get boring. Also someone I trust. Someone funny, who I could joke and mess around with. And _amazing_ in bed,” he said with a wink at Gumball. If he had been honest, he would have added 'pink' and 'prince of the Candy Kingdom' to the list, but he didn't want to scare his friend away with his bluntness.

Bubba cleared his throat at the last comment, not expecting Marshall to be so straightforward. How he wished that he could tick off the criteria listed; yes, he was smart, but he most definitely wasn't funny or the type to 'mess around'. His thoughts blocked Marshall's question of truth or dare, and he remained oblivious until a pale hand was waved before his face.

“Oh, sorry,” Gumball chuckled. “Away with the fairies. I pick dare.”

“Well, that's interesting. Getting risky, aren't we, Gummy?”

“Just choose something, won't you?” The vampire's playful nature always appeared flirtatious, sending Gumball's emotions into a quivering mess. _Glob damn this man,_ he thought.

“I dare you... to tell me who this mysterious person was that got you so flustered?”

The blood drained from Gumball's face. _Shit,_ he thought, _he's got me. How can I avoid this?_ “No. I'm not answering.” With a small harrumph, he crossed his arms to emphasise his refusal. His pose faltered as he felt a hand encompass his knee.

“Pleeeaassee, Bubba?” A surprising innocence masked Marshall's face. His lips had formed a small pout, and his eyes widened comically. Frankly, he looked completely adorable and deliciously attractive. The pleading continued, and Marshall inched forward with each 'please'.

“It's really nothing. Nothing to share,” Gumball insisted, but no avail. Persistent was definitely a word to describe Marshall as he shuffled closer. Their faces seemed mere inches apart, Gumball could feel Marshall's breathing, and smell his natural scent. The proximity and fragrance were overwhelming, Gumball could feel his will collapsing as Marshall's protruding lips neared.

“Please,” Marshall whined. “I'm not going to tell anyone. I just wanna know!” A pointed tongue escaped, wetting his lips. The sight was utterly tantalising to the prince, and catalysed his decision.

“You really want to know?” He demanded, completely exasperated. Marshall emphasised his pout and widened his eyes in response. “Fine!”

With an unnatural speed, Gumball seized Marshall's shoulder, forcing him forwards and capturing his lips in a long-awaited kiss. The kiss lasted only a few seconds, the prince releasing hours of sexual frustration onto its origin. His eyes remained closed as he pulled away, savouring the vampire's taste before he would possibly lose his friend for good.

“Shit, Bubba-”

“Look,” he interrupted, speaking hurriedly as he prepared to flee. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have, but it was you at the tree house in just a towel, you getting changed and just being so damn beautiful. I could handle that, but then you started being caring, and cuddly, and you were just so scared of hurting me, but I _wanted_ you to if I meant I got to see you like that-”

His speech was ended as Marshall reconnected their lips, forcing their bodies into a needy embrace. The two remained that way, Marshall pushing the prince onto his back. The vampire leant over the prince, pulling himself away from his lips to speak. “I'm glad that I was the one to get you so flustered,” he whispered, placing a kiss on Gumball's neck. “I said I wanted to get to know you, and I meant it in every way possible. Platonically. Romantically. Sexually. I want it all.” The two collided together again, their embrace becoming heated as their bodies rubbed against one another, creating friction and re-sparking their lust. Desperate breaths escaped Gumball as he pulled away once more, Marshall continuing to trace his lips along the pink neck. “Glob, Marshall. Why didn't we play this game sooner? We could've got to this point so much faster,” Gumball simpered.

“That wouldn't have been as fun,” Marshall whispered into his ear. “And then I wouldn't have found out just how good you look in those boxers and my t-shirt.” Gumball chuckled, self-consciousness dripping away. His finger clawed at Marshall's back, as the vampire continued his trail down his neck.

“You're about to find out how good I look out of them, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter left!


	14. 14

The sting of early morning sun nibbled at his exposed elbow, but Marshall couldn’t bring himself to care. The pain seemed just an itch in light of his current mood.

The night had been intimate, and not just physically. Bubba’s gummy hair was nestled beneath his chin, tickling his face. The prince was leaning into the vampire, arms curled into his chest. If he hadn’t thought that Gumball was cute before, he certainly did now. The nest of pink hair began to shift, rising to tickle his nose, before being replaced by the prince’s tired face.

A sleepy ‘good morning’ slurred from his mouth as he shook off the remainders of sleep. Usually Gumball would rush off and complete some tedious task, but instead he chose to stay in bed with his vampire. Marshall’s hair was tousled almost artfully, the ends of his hair curling in on themselves. The vampire looked well slept, but his watchful gaze told the prince he had been awake for hours.

“Good morning, my prince,” Marshall whispered, scared to break the quiet of early morning. Gumball rolled his eyes.

“Uh, you’re such a cheese ball, Marshall Lee.”

“But, I’m you’re cheese ball.”

Marshall pulled Gumball closer, unusually affectionate after their night of intimacy. A hiss escaped from the vampire as Gumball settled into the curve of his arm.

“Marshall,” he gasped, seeing the tenderness of the skin on his elbow. The curtains had opened just a touch, allowing a sliver of light to penetrate the room. In one quick movement, Gumball jumped from the bed, forcing the curtains shut. He turned back to Marshall, hands on hips as he glared disapprovingly at his best friend.

“Please put a curb on your self-destructive habits,” he sighed, stretching his legs before re-joining the vampire. The bed smelt not only of his gummy self, but of Marshall’s unique scent too, causing Gumball to nuzzle back into the vampire with appreciation. “We’ve only been together for 12 hours, and I’d hate for you to die right now. I need at least a lifetime with you before I’m ready to give this up.”

Marshall smirked at Bubba’s loving comments, wrapping his arm around the prince. He leant in close, and nestled into Gumball’s neck, before whispering softly into his ear:

“Who’s the cheese ball now, Bubba?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the story draws to a close, and it is the sad end of M_Holmes' creativity. Thank you for reading!


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